NFL analyst Pete Prisco is already putting a dent in the Los Angeles Rams’ championship buzz.
On Tuesday, while appearing on CBS Sports HQ to break down the playoffs and name his Super Bowl pick, Prisco projected the Rams as the NFC’s top seed with a first-round bye. But the forecast turned cold fast after that. In his bracket, Sean McVay’s team doesn’t survive its first playoff game, falling to the division-rival Seattle Seahawks.
“The dream team... The dream team,” Prisco said.
“Yeah, we'll talk more about the dream team... Let's put it this way.
The dream team ain't having good dreams. They're nightmares right now."
Prisco went further, saying Seattle would walk into Los Angeles and win with physicality.
"I think Seattle would go in there and physically give them a beating, and it's going to be a... Look, they're going to be close games all year long when they play.
This one's going to be no different. I think Seattle goes in and wins the game."
His warning to the Rams was simple: all the preseason love in the world doesn’t guarantee anything once the games get real.
"They can win it,” he said. “Look, any of the teams are available late in the playoffs that can win it, but I'm just concerned because it doesn't happen all the time and everybody's all over the Rams, so things might not go exactly how they think."
That kind of skepticism stands in sharp contrast to how the Rams are being viewed elsewhere. Bet365 has Los Angeles as the clear Super Bowl favorite at +500 odds, even before the team has played a game.
And on paper, it’s easy to see why the hype is so loud heading into 2026. The Rams made one of the biggest moves of the offseason by trading for superstar defender Myles Garrett from the Cleveland Browns. Then they added another jolt of star power with Aaron Donald coming out of retirement.
That overhaul turned the defense into a heavyweight group, with Donald, Garrett, Trent McDuffie, and Jaylen Watson all part of the mix. On the other side of the ball, the Rams are also bringing back all 11 starters from last year’s top-ranked offense, including MVP Matthew Stafford.
With that kind of roster, the expectations are enormous. The Rams are being talked about as a team built for the Lombardi Trophy, and anything short of that will be viewed as a major disappointment. If Stafford stays healthy, the sense around this team is that a deep run should be there for the taking.
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Rams Make Another Quick Draft Pick Decision Fans Will Notice
The Rams have already made another small but noticeable roster tweak, cutting defensive lineman Tim Keenan III from the practice squad to create room for edge rusher Jamie Sheriff. Keenan, a seventh-round draft pick, never made much of a mark during the preseason, and his quick exit is another reminder of how little margin there is at the back end of an NFL roster.
Sheriff arrives as developmental depth at a position the Rams continue to monitor, bringing a fresh look after spending time with the Seahawks. For a team that has been willing to turn over the bottom of the roster quickly, the move fits a familiar pattern, even if it leaves the larger question of how the Rams want to build out that edge group still hanging there. [Read more 🡒]
Rams Opener Just Got Tougher With Nick Bosa Trending This Way
The Rams trip to Australia for the season opener already carried enough unfamiliarity without having to factor in Nick Bosa, and the 49ers edge rusher is suddenly looking much more like a real part of the opener picture. Bosa returned to practice for the first time since Aug. 3 after dealing with tendinitis in his right knee, the same knee that previously went through ACL surgery, giving San Francisco a late but meaningful lift as the teams prepare to open in Melbourne.
Bosa is traveling with the 49ers and said he is cautiously optimistic about being ready for the game, which is exactly the kind of development the Rams would rather not have to monitor this close to kickoff. He also sounded settled into the unusual road trip ahead, talking about the recovery process and even looking forward to trying some local coffee and checking out nature exhibits, but for Los Angeles the bigger issue is simple: the opener just got a lot more complicated if Bosa keeps trending this way. [Read more 🡒]
Rams May Need One More O-Line Move Before Week 1
The Rams have spent the summer trying to settle their offensive line picture, but the left tackle spot remains the issue that can change the conversation quickly. With Alaric Jackson facing a likely suspension and rookie Keagen Trost dealing with an injury, David Quessenberry is lined up to handle the job for Week 1, giving Los Angeles at least a veteran stopgap while the rest of the front gets sorted out.
Quessenberry may get the first crack, but the Rams are still staring at the possibility that they need another tackle before the season gets rolling. The free-agent pool is thin and cap space is a factor, so any real upgrade may have to come through a trade, with the kind of deal that could send out a tight end or a defensive lineman if it helps stabilize the edge of the line. [Read more 🡒]